







In English we use the present simple tense to talk about facts or things that are always true, as well as things in general. Present simple is also used to talk about a repeated action such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens.
In English we use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions and we often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, always, often, never, usually, rarely, and hardly ever.
Notes for use of present simple :
In the third person, ‘s’ is added to the verb form. For example;
work --> works
run --> runs
live --> lives
For verbs that end in 'o', 'sh', 'ch', 's' and 'x', we add 'es' to the verb form. For example;
go --> goes
wish --> wishes
watch --> watches
kiss --> kisses
fax --> faxes
For verbs that end in a consonant + 'y', we change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. For example;
try --> tries
study --> studies
The table below shows the different forms of present simple :
Example Verb : Work | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | ... work. | ... works. |
| Negative | ... don't work. | ... doesn't work. |
Questions | Do ... work? | Does ... work? |
| Short answers | Yes, ... do. / No, ... don't. | Yes, ... does. / No, ... doesn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'am', 'is', 'are' in the present simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb: Be | I | You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | I'm ... | ... 're ... | ... 's ... |
| Negative | I'm not ... | ... aren't ... | ... isn't ... |
| Questions | Am I ... ? | Are ... ...? | Is ... ...? |
| Short answers | Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. | Yes, ... are. / No, ... aren't. | Yes, ... is. / No, ... isn't. |
Present Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Present Simple :
Negative Examples of Present Simple :
Question Examples of Present Simple :
| Present simple example sentences | |
|---|---|
| You look much younger than that. | Te ves mucho más joven que eso. |
| Oh sorry, unfortunately, that one is reserved. | Oh, lo siento, desafortunadamente, esa está reservada. |
| Don't worry Diego, it's not related to you! | No te preocupes Diego, ¡no tiene nada que ver contigo! |
| It's in Islington, zone-1, it's the best place for me so far. | Está en Islington, zona-1, es el mejor lugar para mí hasta ahora. |
| Yes, the guy with the beard is Mike. | Sí, el tipo de la barba es Mike. |
| Oh yeah, it's our girls' night out tonight. | Oh, sí, esta noche es noche de chicas. |
| It won't change anything, but reminding me is stressing me out! | No cambiará nada, ¡pero que me lo recuerdes me está estresando! |
| Sure, my name is Cate and my number is 077... | Claro, mi nombre es Cate y mi número es 077... |
| Of course, 2 tomatoes are enough, I think. | Por supuesto, creo que 2 tomates son suficientes. |
| Do you mean the guy with the beard? | ¿Te refieres al tipo de la barba? |
| Really? I don't want to ruin your plan, but... | ¿En serio? No quiero arruinar tu plan, pero... |
| My housemates don't clean anything in the kitchen. | Mis compañeros de piso no limpian nada en la cocina. |
| I agree, long flights aren't very pleasant. | Estoy de acuerdo, los vuelos largos no son muy agradables. |
| I was just joking, how are you? | Sólo estaba bromeando, ¿cómo estás? |
| Yes sir, you can have a seat at this table. | Sí señor, pueden sentarse en esta mesa. |
| Except mosquitoes because they ruin my sleep. | Excepto a los mosquitos porque arruinan mi sueño. |
| I don't think so, trains leave about every 20 minutes. | No creo, los trenes salen cada 20 minutos. |
| I don't believe you! What's the difference today? | ¡No te creo! ¿Cuál es la diferencia hoy? |
| He just moved from Brighton and lives around here. | Se acaba de mudar de Brighton y vive por aquí. |
| It's more than enough, I need some garlic, also. | Es más que suficiente, también necesito ajo. |